The little grape seed has been enlisted in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Scientists say it could prove to be a safe and inexpensive way of tackling the debilitating illness.
It is well known that the grapes and red wine in moderation contain compounds that are good for the brain.
so the researchers, led by Dr Wang Yan Jiang, Flinders University in Adelaide wanted to find out what impact grape seeds might have on the brain. They fed grape seed extract to mice with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease over a six-month period.
"What we found was that the level of damage to DNA, which is a fundamental cause of accelerated ageing and degenerative diseases was reduced by including grape seed extract in the diet of these mice." Dr Micheal Fenech from the CSIRO said.
The grape seed extract prevented the build-up of proteins in the brain that cause Alzheimer's deisease and improved brain function.
The results were significant with a 50% reduction in the damage to brain cells in those mices given the extract.
"The implication of these findings is that phenolic compounds from the grape seed could contribute significantly to diminishing the level of DNA damage in people." Fench said
It is still a while before grape seed extraxt can be recommended in humans to prevent Alzheimer's disease but after these promising findings, researchers hope to trial the extract in patients at risk of dementia.
Researchers say there is no harm in eating grape seeds instead of spitting it out.
